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European visitors to the US are often surprised to find that the name for this popular piece of furniture is not only still known, but is indeed usually called a chaise lounge, though by no means all Americans describe it in this way. The original form of this item of furniture was known as a, chaise longue, the original French meaning "long chair". The chaise lounge form is a classic example of changing a rather odd foreign word into something more meaningful, and it is, after all, a seat that one lounges on. This spelling and pronunciation appears in dictionaries of American English and is now so established that no amount of disapproval, criticism or ridicule by British and French traditionalist can affect its status! And it’s an old error - examples have been found in American literature dating back to the 1850s.

A long couch of course is a staple of Freudian psycho-analysis and lying back on a couch enables a level of relaxation that is not possible in more upright seating positions. Finding new paths to relaxation is hugely beneficial given the frantic pace of modern life where all too often pressures to meet schedules or power struggles with over-bearing colleagues can upset the balance of our lives. Relaxing and talking through problems having a clear mind and an environment conducive to de-stressing can as that pioneer of analysis knew be quite literally a life saver. Of course the history of the couch goes a long way further back than the twentieth century and the Romans typically dined from elongated couches or relaxed informally at parties and gatherings. The Ottoman civilization, which incidentally gave its name to the low foot stools that you’ll find on our site, also saw reclining positions as appropriate for dining and relaxation.

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